The Billionaire's Hidden Heir

#5 - A Ghost

Adrian

"Radiant Springs might seem to be in the middle of nowhere, but I assure you the charm, its lovely people, and untapped resources will more than make up for that particular short coming, Mr. Frost."

My name from the little lady who was supposed to be the mayor of some insignificant town jolted me from my bored stupor. I'd had enough. I leaned forward on the shiny wooden conference table and took in her petite frame, the pointer she'd been using during her PowerPoint presentation nervously being moved from one hand to the other. "Mrs-"

"Miss Finnegan or just Derby." The tiny creature flashed me their mega-watt smile and I felt twice as guilty for what I was about to say. But if business decisions like this were based on humanity alone, there wouldn't be a business in the first place for the little lady to seek Frost industries' financial muscle to invest in their little town.

"Right, Miss Finnegan..." I forced a smile which she reciprocated with another genuine one of hers. If my decision was purely based on that, I was pretty sure she would have already walked out of this conference room, her mega-watt smile charging the entire Frost building after I accepted her proposal. "I am pretty sure Radiant Springs is a lovely town, but-"

"Come to Radiant Springs." Derby cut me off, sending my brow shooting up in question. The woman ignored my reaction and smiled instead. How could one person smile this much? I leaned back in my seat and continued observing her. "Come and get a feel of it, for a day or two and then you can give me your answer. The municipality will even dare to foot all your traveling expenses," she blurted, and I didn't miss her tiny flinch at the promise at the end of her invitation. For a town needing funds, she was pushing it by offering to spend even the little they had. The woman could drive a hard bargain, I could give her that. And she'd officially gotten me curious.

"That won't be necessary," I began, but Derby cut me off.

"Please..." she pleaded, her eyes imploring. She wasn't ready for any negative answer. I admired the determination in her eyes.

I leaned back on the table and smiled. Genuinely this time around. "It so happens that I'm due for a mini vacation, perhaps I could utilize that-"

"Thank you, Mr. Frost." A petite hand shot out across my desk and I couldn't help but smile some more as I extended mine and shook it. "Let me be the first to welcome you to Radiant Springs." Relief was evident in Derby's breathy voice and it erased the last bits of the grudge I felt towards my grandfather's insistence that I head Frost Industries' new social responsibility department too. "I- I'm going to go," Derby quickly gathered her things and slipped out of the conference room's open door as if she was afraid I might change my mind the next minute. I heard her mumble a sorry to someone a second later, making me shake my head.

"And who was that?" my grandfather entered the conference room right after. He looked too pleased with himself to not know who Miss Finnegan was.

"Don't pretend not to know since this is part of your unnecessary test of my ability to be compassionate." I scowled at him. I'd been doing a lot of that recently because apart from his out of the blue decision to create a new department altogether, I had a feeling my grandfather was up to something. I hadn't been able to find out what that was, but the nagging feeling still remained. For a while I had even suspected that he'd demand that I remarry. The relief I felt when I'd discovered that that was not it either, had left me surprised.

"Judging by the excited look on the young lady's face, I'd say you are on the right track." Wallace beamed.

"What do you want?" I sighed. "Shouldn't you be, I don't know, playing golf or something with your fellow rich executives?"

Wallace merely waved me away. "Tell me about this new project you are about to embark on." The old man made himself comfortable in the chair opposite mine and I knew there was no escaping him.

"Let me apologise once again for the delay and mix-up." Derby bit her lips as she apologized for the delayed landing of the Frost industries' private jet. She had traded her formal suit for a floral sundress and despite the nerves currently plaguing her, she looked more relaxed than she'd been on our one on one meeting.

"It's not all on you. I should have known about the limited space on the airstrip and called ahead." I smiled.

"Welcome to Radiant Springs, Mr...." A tiny voice drew my attention to a figure I had not noticed before. The little boy was looking up at Derby though while tugging on her dress. "...uh... I kind of forgot his name," he whispered but loud enough for me to hear. He was the cutest thing.

"Mr. Frost." I came down to his level and grinned. The boy turned to me, grinning too, but I froze, my own smile ceasing because for the weirdest reason I felt like I was staring at a mirror image of myself, only a few years in reverse. Those eyes, I had never seen that shade of green except in my mirror, everyday.

"These are for you." His green eyes twinkled as he handed me a bouquet of flowers, deepening that feeling of familiarity.

"Uh...thank you." I swallowed, hard.

"Are you okay?" The boy frowned and I realized that I'd been staring, for too long.

"I-I, fine...yes, perfectly fine." I stammered as I reached into my pocket for the last bar of my favourite chocolate I'd been nibbling on on my flight and held it out to the boy. "I didn't know that I'd get such a warm welcome. If I had, I would have gotten you something more-" I paused and stared at the boy's bulging eyes. Did I do something wrong? "You don't have to get it if you don't want to-"

"Oh, Miss Finnegan, can I, can I, please? I promise I'll eat it at the right time," the boy tugged on Derby's dress again, pleading. I couldn't help but smile at his innocence.

"Now, Ash, you know that chocolate is bad for you and your mum-"

"All of it, except this one."

All of it, except this one. My world spun on its axis at the boy's response. It couldn't be! "Allergies?" I hadn't settled on this brand of chocolate by preference all those years ago. And if I remembered correctly, it hadn't been my choice either. She had been the one to urge me to take a bite after claiming that a doctor friend of hers had made the recommendation.

"Terrible allergies." Derby answered, looking apologetic. "I hope you don't mind that I have to be extra careful."

"I know you have terrible allergies, but I promise I was extra careful." The memory hit me hard. What the hell was happening to me? I hadn't had these detailed flash of memories about my ex-wife for a while now.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost, Mr. Frost." I found Derby eyeing me with concern.

"That child?"

"Oh, he's the son to one of Radiant Spring's residents and I assure you he is no ghost at all. Pretty smart for his age, but definitely not a ghost." Derby began walking and I followed after her. "I should also apologise for not being the one to help you settle in, but I have god motherly duties to attend to."

"Duties?" I asked absentmindedly as my gaze stayed on the little boy's disappearing figure.

"It's Asher's birthday today." Derby pointed in the boy's direction. "And if I don't deliver him for his surprise birthday party, his mother will have my head."

Asher... I tested the name on my tongue. It felt perfect for him. And his mother? Could it be? My heart pounded at the thought. I was probably mistaken, but what if I wasn't... "I could accompany you to this party and then you can help me settle in later," I invited myself along before I could think better of it. "That is if that won't be a bother to you or Asher's mother."

"Are you sure?" Derby looked hopeful.

"Positive." I nodded, looking around. "Is there any place I could grab a last minute birthday present?"